Lady Loves and Cat Smiles
by WritingMage
Summary: So maybe sometimes it does hurt to have Ladybug scoff. Adrien, no, Chat Noir, looks away. On his lips, there's an ironic smile. Adrien Agreste, Chat Noir, it all gets mixed up and unnecessarily complicated, doesn't it? Maybe life would be easier as just Adrien. A story told in ten pieces.
1. Repressed

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Miraculous, so I won't claim to, but I do own my interpretation and the nonexistent plot. Also, a tribute to broken hearts and late Valentines. ;)

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Every broken heart has screamed at one time or another: "Why can't you see who I truly am?" ~ Shannon L. Alder

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"Hmm." Ladybug stares off to the distance. In her eyes, Chat Noir sees the Paris skyline and oceans and, _God, this is the love of his life_. Swallowing, Chat Noir stares down to his clawed hands. If his face feels a little warm, it is, of course, because it's so warm up here. Much too warm.

"Chat," she says quietly, "Do you ever get tried of being a superhero? It gets a little old, no?" Her tired, little words are swallowed by the wind; there are too tired, too worn. They sound old. Maybe it's because of the akuma they just destroyed, or maybe it's because it has been five years of secrets and running and playing the hero, and well, even Adrien Agreste can agree that this game has gone on a bit long. It might be nice to not have to be the hero and not have to make due with seeing the love of his life through a mask. But, Adrien—or should he say Chat?—thinks that the nicest thing would be the chance to strip all these pretenses, to be completely face to face, to have Ladybug believe for once in her life, that when Chat Noir says, "I think I might love you", it isn't some kind of joke.

"Well, the Paris won't stop needing to be saved, my Lady," Chat Noir grins, but his arm aches to wrap around his beautiful Ladybug, to hold her here even as her eyes show how far away she really is.

Tired eyes look at him, but then Ladybug smiles, so maybe it's ok. "Of course," she says, but her eyes are still so far away.

So all Adrien does is stare at his legs dangling against the side of the building. In a way, the silence that settles between them is comfortable, and it helps a little. It helps Adrien imagine to himself what it might be like if they were more than just partners. Would it be like this? Sitting together and staring at the sunset? Maybe it would.

They stay together until the sunset is gone and all that's left is a sea of Parisian lights in the darkness.

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 **Original Posting Date:** February 18, 2018

 **Prompt:** N/A

 **Word Count:** 365

 **Note:** There are 365 days in the year, no? Also, I blame finally even thinking about Ladybug fandom on Therentyoupay and her work... Her work is so cool!


	2. Stillness

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Miraculous, so I won't claim to, but I do own my interpretation and the nonexistent plot. Also, a tribute to broken hearts and late Valentines. ;)

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Childhood is a short season. -Helen Hayes

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It has been many years since Adrien Agreste was truly a child. But that is not a crime. There are many people with shorter childhoods, childhoods that are much worse.

Between his fingers, Adrien feels the worn, gloss of his mother's photograph. In the silence, he focuses on the sensation, on the sound of his fingers moving across the smooth gloss and the rougher back of the photograph. These sensations make the memory real, tangible. Otherwise, it would all seem like a far away dream, his mother, his father, a happy childhood, but even with the photograph between his fingers, Adrien finds it harder and harder to hold onto these memories.

Like water, they evaporate into air. In the end, there is nothing to really hold onto but a distant ache and an old photograph.

Carefully, Adrien places the photograph back within its smooth black box, and the box he places gently inside the bottommost drawer of his desk. "Maman," he whispers when he slides the drawer closed once more.

Afterwards, the house is covered in a familiar silence. Again, the mansion reacquaints itself with stillness. As the stillness settles, the house becomes an unlived set, like Cinderella's pumpkin it loses all its appeal once the magic is gone. Agreste mansion is not a home, Adrien reflects to himself: Home is sitting in the park with Nino and Alya and Marinette. Home is holding his mother's picture, and more than anything home is sitting by Ladybug while the sun sets over Paris once more.

Rising from his chair, Adrien slinks across his room to the windows, then to his phone.

 _2 Missed Calls Nino_

 _One Unread Text Message_

Green eyes narrow. Was there something important about today? There shouldn't have been…

"Dammit!" Rushing, Adrien snatches his jacket and bursts out the gates of the Agreste mansion. As he runs, Plagg finally appears with a smug smirk. "You cat," Adrien says, looking at his kuami, "why didn't you remind me that today is Marinette's birthday?"

"Heh, well, she's your friend, isn't she?" Plagg shrugs, head tilted, and all Adrien can do is try to run a little faster to make it to the park in time.

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 **Original Posting Date:** March 3, 2018

 **Prompt:** N/A

 **Word Count:** 365

 **Note:** So my writing has mostly a theme: angst *shrug* I'm actually a happy person, pinky swear! Also, will be taking a bit to update stuff. I am a busy person, but slowly but surely ;)


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